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United Way of Buffalo and Erie County

EIN 16-0743969 · Buffalo, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION: WE BRING PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES TOGETHER TO CREATE SYSTEMIC COMMUNITY CHANGE. OUR VISION: WE ENVISION AN EQUITABLE, THRIVING AND UNITED COMMUNITY ACHIEVED THROUGH COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP. WE MEET OUR COMMITMENTS AND DELIVER HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH-VALUE RESULTS. WE FOSTER A CULTURE OF RESPONSIVENESS AND FLEXIBILITY CONDUCIVE TO INNOVATION IN EVERY AREA OF THE BUSINESS. WE ACTIVELY INCLUDE AND ENGAGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY SO THAT OUR WORK CAN BE INFORMED AND ENRICHED BY DIVERSE EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES. WE ENSURE THAT OUR POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES PRIORITIZE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES SO THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THRIVE. WE ARE TRANSPARENT, HONEST, DEPENDABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY IN EVERY INTERACTION AND AS STEWARDS OF RESOURCES. WE ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR WORK IS FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS, BOTH WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND IN THE COMMUNITY.

Income
$11.0 million
Spending
$11.7 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
15.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 72%
Employees
61
Volunteers
2,484
Highest pay
$196,340, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    27 of 27 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $2.4 million spent. PROGRAM INVESTMENTS - INVESTMENTS (ALLOCATIONS) IN COMPETITIVELY AWARDED GRANT PROGRAMS TO MANY LOCAL AGENCIES, FOCUSED IN OUR "IMPACT" AREAS OF EDUCATION, INCOME, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS. BY INVESTING IN THE HIGHEST NEEDS AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY THE UNITED WAY HOPES TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE OVERALL EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES, STABILIZE AND IMPROVE FAMILY FINANCIAL WELL BEING, AND BUILD A STRONG AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
  2. $1.7 million spent. DONOR DESIGNATIONS - THE UNITED WAY OF BUFFALO AND ERIE COUNTY ALLOWS DONOR CHOICE, WHERE THE DONOR CAN DIRECT GIFTS TO ANY 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION.
  3. $3.6 million spent. GRANT PROGRAM AND INITIATIVES - THESE PROGRAMS ARE AIMED AT PROVIDING SUPPORT TO VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, GROUPS AND AGENCIES, AND UNIQUE INITIATIVES PROVIDING SUPPORT AIMED AT THE UNITED WAYS FOCUSED AREAS OF NEED.
  4. $1.8 million spent. COMMUNITY IMPACT PROGRAM SERVICES - WORK DONE IN ANALYZING COMMUNITY NEEDS, FOCUSING RESOURCES, DETERMING AND EVALUATING OUTCOMES AND ENLISTING AGENCY SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT FOCUS AREAS OF EDUCATION, INCOME AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1960.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.